I’d been hearing about Mano Libera ever since it opened in 2025, and I finally made the hour-long drive to Coral Gables to see if it lived up to the buzz. Located at 7201 SW 59th Street, it isn’t close to home, so I usually wait until a restaurant has earned a strong reputation before making the trip.
Mano Libera is Michelin Recommended, and Chef Marco Giugliano arrived from Doma in Wynwood, a restaurant I have enjoyed many times over the years. Most reviews were quite positive, although The Infatuation gave it a modest 6.1 rating, saying the restaurant “grabs your attention with everything but the food.” I was curious to find out which opinion was closer to the truth.
The name Mano Libera translates to “free hand,” and the hand motif appears throughout the restaurant. You’ll notice it on the logo, the plates, napkins, serving pieces, decorative sculptures and the hand sculptures displayed on the shelves. It is certainly a memorable design element.
Chef Marco, who was born in Naples, Italy, has cooked in restaurants throughout London, Greece and the United States before settling in Miami. His menu is rooted in traditional Italian cuisine while giving many classic dishes a contemporary interpretation.
The dining room is intimate, seating about 50 guests between the indoor and outdoor spaces. An open kitchen allows diners to watch the chefs at work, contemporary pop art decorates the walls, hand sculptures line the shelves, and a curated playlist provides a pleasant backdrop to the meal. The service was warm, attentive and genuinely welcoming.
Unfortunately, this is where my enthusiasm began to fade.
There is a great deal of emphasis placed on theatrical presentation, but not nearly enough attention given to the execution of the food itself. The house-made focaccia with whipped ricotta was pleasant enough, but hardly memorable. The fish carpaccio was beautifully presented, yet lacked any real flavour. The texture was unusual, and the fish tasted slightly fishy, never a quality you want in a raw preparation.
The stuffed zucchini blossoms arrived on a porcelain hand, continuing the restaurant’s theme, but the batter was so thick that it overwhelmed the delicate zucchini flower inside. The salmon was overcooked, while the Spaghetti alla Nerano was the biggest disappointment of the evening. Having enjoyed this classic dish many times, including in Nerano itself, I can confidently say this was the poorest version I have ever been served. It was excessively salty, overcooked to the point of being mushy, and ultimately inedible.
The one standout was dessert. The pistachio soft-serve ice cream was creamy, balanced and absolutely delicious, ending the meal on its only high note.
In the end, I found myself agreeing with The Infatuation’s observation that “Mano Libera does dinner theater better than it does dinner.” The creativity, branding and presentation are all there, but for me, the cooking simply did not deliver.
This was a disappointing experience, especially given the restaurant’s Michelin recommendation and the chef’s impressive résumé. I left wishing as much attention had been devoted to the food as to the performance surrounding it.
Not recommended.
Happy dining,
Shanea
08/06/2026
